A sprained ankle is keeping Chris Harris, the Broncos' third cornerback, out of practice as the team begins its preparations for Monday night's game against Atlanta.

Harris suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday's victory against Pittsburgh. Harris was able to finish that game, but was wearing a protective boot on his foot earlier this week.

The Broncos would love to have Harris healthy as they prepare to play Atlanta, a team that scored 40 points last week against Kansas City and has one of the best receiver duos in Roddy White and Julio Jones. Jones caught two touchdown passes Sunday, and White used his Twitter account on Wednesday to say he thinks the Falcons will be able to challenge the Broncos deep.

"I think they're right up there, that's for sure," Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan said Thursday morning on a conference call with Denver reporters. "I think those guys are as good as anybody."

Other than Harris, the only Broncos player held out of practice was right guard Chris Kuper, who remains sidelined while he recovers from a broken forearm. Kuper could return by late September.

Thursday also marked the first practice for Dan Koppen, the veteran center and longtime New England Patriot who signed with the Broncos on Tuesday.

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